Beer Blog Compendium

Reuters
LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The world's four biggest brewers now account for over half the global market for beer after recent deals such as Dutch brewer ...

Wall Street Journal
Before any antitrust-driven divestments, it gave the two companies control of nearly half of Japan's market for beer and similar malt drinks and one-third ...

New Minister for Pubs John Healey has promised to table a package of measures to help pubs within weeks.

Two pro-pub MPs have given their backing to the appointment of John Healey as the first ever pubs minister.

Beer is a rich source of a nutrient that can help prevent weak bones - but it depends what type you drink, researchers said. As one of the nation's favourite drinks, beer...

CAMRA's beer tie stance "illogical", says City analyst
Removing central purchasing would hit product range and investment, argues Numis man

St Austell Brewery has launched a delicious new ale designed to add it a bit of spice to the lives of real ale fans across the South West.

Cockleroaster - ­­ a delicious chilli and chocolate infused stout – is the first new beer in an exciting seasonal ale programme launched by St Austell Brewery for 2010.

The Brewery has teamed up with the award-winning South Devon Chilli Farm to create Cockleroaster, which is a 4.5 % abv ale.

The rich dark stout is brewed with pale and roasted malt with lashings of dark chocolate and finely chopped chillis are added at the final stage of the brewing process to add the subtle spicy flavour.

First trialled at the Celtic Beer Festival, Cockleroaster, was a big hit with ale lovers and was one of the first to sell out, so the beer should be a popular addition on the bar alongside St Austell Brewery’s award-winning ales.

This year sets to be an exciting and busy time on St Austell Brewery’s brewing calendar as it unleashes, more regularly, a number of new seasonal ales. St Austell Brewery’s Head Brewer, Roger Ryman, said: “We’re really excited about launching Cockleroaster, the first of many interesting and innovative seasonal ales that we’ll be introducing throughout 2010.

“We’re delighted to have been able to team up with another South West producer to create Cockleroaster, which is a delicious ale which brings together two very different flavours that complement each other perfectly. Despite its strength, the ale is quite light in body. Customers should taste the chocolate as the main flavour and get a subtle taste of chilli with the aftertaste.”

Roger added: “I’ll be brewing a beer each month during the year to tantalise the taste buds of ale lovers across the South West so there’s lots to look forward to coming from St Austell Brewery this year.”

Steve Waters, Co-owner, South Devon Chilli Farm, said: “Its been great to team up St Austell Brewery and help create this new and exciting ale. We pride ourselves on growing delicious fresh chillis from our farm in Loddiswell, near Kingsbridge and so it is great to be working with another South West producer who is equally as passionate about the quality of its products.”

Cockleroaster will be available in select St Austell Brewery pubs across the South West and available to free trade customers.

Ends

One of the joys about living in a permanent and singular location is that you can return to doing stuff that many take for granted.

Friday saw me meet up with fellow Norwich CAMRA members for the first time. My local branch organises what they call the ‘First Friday Five’ a trip around five pubs on the first Friday of every months. I thought I’d go along and see what they get up to. It was a pleasant evening, and I hope it will be the first of many. We ended up at a pub in the North East part of the city. A pub called The Cottage which last year was purchased and refurbished by Mauldons brewery. Despite being a Mauldons pub it proclaims on the sign to be a free house, the staff were all wearing Mauldons t-shirts so I guess they are not hiding their light under a bushel. Unfortunately by the time we got to this pub my mental faculties were slightly impaired so I can’t remember if they had eight or ten different beers, but there were three Mauldons beers Moletrap Mild, Silver Adder and Black Adder. The rest were and interesting mix from around East Anglia. I had a Mild from Waveney followed by Mauldons Black Adder. Both beers were spot on for taste and condition.

The pub itself has been done up in a very pleasing way. It’s not in a style so different from that of the Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, a pub Mauldons will be familiar with. I never went in the ‘old’ Cottage so I don’t know what it was like, but the new refurbished one is light, airy and sympathetically open planned. There’s a rather nice long wooden bar that greets you as you enter the establishment. It is a modern classic, to use a well worn oxymoron. There are a few quotes from the likes of WC Fields and Spike Milligan painted on the coving which I thought was a nice touch. It’s a nice clean pub. The ale reflected the surroundings by its perfect condition. Mauldons are on to a winner with this establishment! I’ve never been a gushing fan of Mauldons ale. Absolutely nothing wrong with it, just that I’ve always preferred the nectar from its close (geographically) rival Nethergate, but after Friday night’s experience I’m warming to them in a big way. The Cottage is a decent walk from where I now live so I won’t be tripping in their every five minutes but I shall return to it when I get the chance. It’s a pub not to be missed if you are ever in Norwich!

p.s. on checking the website it would appear they have ten handpumps

NOTW Blogs (blog)
BEER-loving politician John Healey has landed his dream job in government - Minister for PUBS. He has been given a vital new role of supporting at-risk ...

Hall & Woodhouse, the leading regional brewer of premium bottled ales, based in Dorset is announcing a £5 million development programme for a new 21st century brewery on its existing Blandford St Mary site.

The new Brewery will be dedicated to brewing the range of award-winning Badger ales. The beers will still be brewed using the same quality brewing ingredients, including Dorset spring water, which has been naturally filtered for up to a century through the Cretaceous chalk downs and drawn from the Brewery’s own wells. This will ensure the flavours and character of Badger Ales remain the same.

Work will commence on-site in October 2010. The installation of the new plant will be supported by the Hall & Woodhouse workforce, and it is intended to utilise existing resources where feasible.

Commenting on the new brewery Mark Woodhouse, Vice-Chairman said “Hall & Woodhouse has been brewing Badger ales for over 225 years and this exciting new development ensures we will be doing so for many more generations to come. I believe an investment of this magnitude also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to brewing and to the continued growth of our premium bottled and cask ales. It also ensures that we continue brewing the high quality and innovative flavoured ales for which we have such an enviable reputation.”

Rochdale Online
For every pint of JW Lees cask bitter that JW Lees sells at £2.10 there is 31p paid in VAT and 37p in beer duty, with tax representing 33 per cent of the ...

The tied pub model is “less risky” than the alternatives, according to multiple operator Matt Saunders of the 11-strong Derby-based Fat Cat group.

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has reached agreement with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to stay its appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal challenging the OFT’s initial response to CAMRA’s super-complaint in October 2009. CAMRA’s appeal is now stayed until Sunday August 1st 2010 to enable the OFT to consider further evidence of anti-competitive behaviour by the large pub owning companies. The OFT will now conduct an open public consultation before reaching a final decision.

CAMRA’s super-complaint argued that anti-competitive practices are inflating pub beer prices by around 50 pence a pint, restricting consumer choice and leading to chronic underinvestment in the nation’s pubs.

Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said:

‘We are delighted that the OFT has responded to our appeal by agreeing to conduct an open consultation and I encourage all parties to use this opportunity to submit further evidence of anti-competitive practice. The consultation will lead to a new and final decision from the OFT. We are hopeful that on re-examination of the pubs market the OFT will decide to act against anti-competitive behaviour in order to deliver a fair deal for consumers. CAMRA looks forward to working with the OFT to deliver reform of the beer tie so that the pub market works in the interests of consumers.’

CAMRA’s fundraising appeal for the reform of the beer tie, which raised over £8,000 since January, will be suspended during the consultation period. The funds will be put towards CAMRA’s legal fees. CAMRA reserves the right to re-activate its appeal should it be dissatisfied with the OFT’s final decision following the consultation.

END

BBC News
"The British love their pints of beer," says David Kester, of the Design Council. "We wouldn't want to take someone's enjoyment and pleasure away. ...

This is London
Fuller's, which makes London Pride and Organic Honey Dew beers in its Chiswick brewery, said beer sales increased 2% over the 44 weeks. ...